The present invention is directed generally to various embodiments of ascension/descension apparatuses and methods.
Telephone service technicians are often required to climb telephone poles in order to make the necessary repairs. As most telephone poles are wooden, it is common for telephone service technicians to use spiked shoes (often referred to as “gaffs”) in order to provide the necessary traction to scale the vertical pole. Such shoes, however, often put unnecessary stress on the technician's leg and foot joints.
It can be appreciated that commercial entities and other organizations that employ workers in elevated environments are aware of the potential risks attendant upon work performed in such environments. In view of this awareness, commercial entities and other organizations devote time and resources to promoting the safety of workers performing work in elevated environments to make the performance of work as safe as possible. Promoting safety of workers in elevated environments may involve instituting training programs and/or providing workers with a variety of support devices, support systems, backup devices and systems, and/or other means that promote the stability and safety of workers in elevated environments. Despite the best efforts of an organization to enhance the safety of its workers and reduce the risk of falling from elevated structures, for example, it is nonetheless difficult to eliminate all risks to workers performing work on such elevated structures.
Redundant systems for promoting safety of workers on elevated utility structures may thus sometimes be used. Such redundant systems can sometimes be beneficial in addition to the myriad of existing support systems, methods, devices and/or other apparatus employed by workers on elevated structures to reduce or mitigate risks associated with falling from utility structures, for example.